In this episode of the Ask a NICU Mama Podcast, host AshleyO’Neil is joined by Sam Kozuch, a NICU mama turned NICU doula, whose journey is one of resilience, advocacy, and hope.

Sam shares her experience navigating a high-risk pregnancy,a 152-day NICU stay, and life after discharge as she raises her daughter with complex medical needs. She opens up about the emotional highs and lows of the NICU, the challenges of transitioning home, the gaps in care that so manyfamilies face, and the strength it takes to advocate for your child every step of the way.

Most importantly, Sam reminds us of the power of communityand how her own NICU journey inspired her to become a NICU doula, supporting other families during one of the most difficult seasons of their lives.

Whether you're currently in the NICU, navigating life afterdischarge, or supporting someone who is, this conversation is filled with honesty, encouragement, and hope. You donot want to miss this episode!

Interested in connecting with Sam?

Instagram: samkozymama

Business IG: underthesameskydoula

The Ask a NICU Mama Podcast is brought to you by It’s aNICU World!

🌍 About It’s a NICU World

It’s a NICU World is a community dedicated tosupporting families navigating life in and beyond the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. From journals and advocacy to the Ask a NICU Mama Podcast, we’re here to bring real stories, hard truths, and hope to every NICU andmedical family.

📘 Learn more: ⁠www.itsanicuworld.com⁠📸Follow us on Instagram: ⁠@itsanicuworld⁠and @askanicumamapodcast2024

Check out our books: It’s a NICU World& It’s a NICU World: Your Guide During your Babies NICU Stay

🎙️Listen to more episodes: On your favorite podcast platform

• 📣 Ways to Support the Show: Share this episode with another NICU parent orhealthcare provider
• Follow the show on Instagram: ⁠@askanicumamapodcast2024⁠
• Leave a review

Interested in sponsoring an episode? Email ashleyoneil@itsanicuworld.com

In this episode of the Ask a NICU Mama Podcast, host AshleyO’Neil is joined by Mariann Shaw, Founder and Executive Director of Maison Alexander Support Group, Inc. (MASG Inc.), a faith-based nonprofit born from her own NICU journey. After developing preeclampsia, Mariann delivered her sonat just 28 weeks gestation via emergency C-section. She shares the challenges of navigating life after the NICU as a single mother, leaning on the support of family, friends, and her faith during one of the most difficult seasons of herlife.

What began as a personal testimony of resilience and hopehas grown into a mission dedicated to supporting NICU families through faith, resources, advocacy, and compassionate care. Mariann's story is a powerful reminder that purpose can emerge from life's most unexpected challenges. You won't want to miss this inspiring conversation.

Interested in connecting with Marianń?

Instagram: masgnicu

Website: www.masgnicu.org

The Ask a NICU Mama Podcast is brought to you by It’sa NICU World!

🌍 About It’s a NICU World

It’s a NICU World is a community dedicated tosupporting families navigating life in and beyond the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. From journals and advocacy to the Ask a NICU Mama Podcast, we’re here to bring real stories, hard truths, and hope to every NICU andmedical family.

📘 Learn more: ⁠www.itsanicuworld.com⁠

📸Follow us on Instagram: ⁠@itsanicuworld⁠and @askanicumamapodcast2024

Check out our books: It’s a NICU World& It’s a NICU World: Your Guide During your Babies NICU Stay

🎙️Listen to more episodes: On your favorite podcast platform

📣 Support the Show:

• Share this episode with another NICU parent or healthcare provider
• Follow the show on Instagram: ⁠@askanicumamapodcast2024⁠
• Leave a review

Interested in sponsoring an episode? Email ashleyoneil@itsanicuworld.com

In this episode of the Ask a NICU Mama Podcast, host Ashley O’Neil is joined by Katelyn Paz, who learned after a routine ultrasound that her daughter had Trisomy 18. She shares how she had to balance grief with hope and what it was like to constantly justify her decision to keep her daughter alive to her NICU team. She also opens up about finding herself back in the very same NICU two years later with her youngest daughter. This episode is about a mother’s love, finding hope, and advocating fiercely for your children through uncertainty, grief, and the NICU experience. You do not want to miss this episode!

Interested in connecting with Katelyn?

Instagram: pazkatelyn

The Ask a NICU Mama Podcast is brought to you by It’s aNICU World!

🌍 About It’s a NICU World

It’s a NICU World is a community dedicated tosupporting families navigating life in and beyond the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. From journals and advocacy to the Ask a NICU Mama Podcast, we’re here to bring real stories, hard truths, and hope to every NICU andmedical family.

📘 Learn more: ⁠www.itsanicuworld.com⁠

📸Follow us on Instagram: ⁠@itsanicuworld⁠and @askanicumamapodcast2024

Check out our books: It’s a NICU World& It’s a NICU World: Your Guide During your Babies NICU Stay

🎙️Listen to more episodes: On your favorite podcast platform

📣 Support the Show:

• Share this episode with another NICU parent or healthcare provider
• Follow the show on Instagram: ⁠@askanicumamapodcast2024⁠
• Leave a review

Interested in sponsoring an episode? Email ashleyoneil@itsanicuworld.com

In this episode of the Ask a NICU Mama Podcast, host Ashley O’Neil is joined by Nathan (Nate) Wieser, who shares his and his wife’s 10-year journey to parenthood—a path marked by pregnancy loss, infant loss, and a 121-day NICU stay. Throughout this episode, one thing remains abundantly clear: Nate’s deep love for his wife, his family and friends, and his children - both the ones he holds in his heart and the one he is blessed to parent here on earth. This episode offers deep insights into the emotional rollercoaster of the NICU experiences, loss, and hope. You do not want to miss this episode.

Interested in connecting with Nate?

Instagram: nathanwieser

Book: We Did It

The Ask a NICU Mama Podcast is brought to you by It’s a NICU World!

🌍 About It’s a NICU World

It’s a NICU World is a community dedicated tosupporting families navigating life in and beyond the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. From journals and advocacy to the Ask a NICU Mama Podcast, we’re here to bring real stories, hard truths, and hope to every NICU and medical family.

📘 Learn more: ⁠www.itsanicuworld.com⁠

📸Follow us on Instagram: ⁠@itsanicuworld⁠and @askanicumamapodcast2024

Check out our books: It’s a NICU World& It’s a NICU World: Your Guide During Your Babies NICU Stay

🎙️Listen to more episodes: On your favorite podcast platform

📣 Support the Show:

• Share this episode with another NICU parent or healthcare provider
• Follow the show on Instagram: ⁠@askanicumamapodcast2024⁠
• Leave a review

Interested in sponsoring an episode? Email ashleyoneil@itsanicuworld.com

In this episode of the Ask a NICU Mama Podcast, host AshleyO’Neil is joined by Kimberly Johnson, who shares her journey of giving birth to her son at just 23 weeks gestation. She opens up about the previous loss of her daughter, navigating life in the NICU during COVID, and how the NICU experiencechanges you as a person. This conversation is honest, emotional, and full of perspective for anyone walking the difficult road of prematurity, grief, and healing.

The Ask a NICU Mama Podcast is brought to you by It’s aNICU World!

🌍 About It’s a NICU World

It’s a NICU World is a community dedicated tosupporting families navigating life in and beyond the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. From journals and advocacy to the Ask a NICU Mama Podcast, we’re here to bring real stories, hard truths, and hope to every NICU andmedical family.

📘 Learn more: ⁠www.itsanicuworld.com⁠

📸Follow us on Instagram: ⁠@itsanicuworld⁠and @askanicumamapodcast2024

Check out our books: It’s a NICU World& It’s a NICU World: Your Guide During your Babies NICU Stay

🎙️Listen to more episodes: On your favorite podcast platform

📣 Support the Show:

• Share this episode with another NICU parent or healthcare provider
• Follow the show on Instagram: ⁠@askanicumamapodcast2024⁠
• Leave a review

Interested in sponsoring an episode? Email ashleyoneil@itsanicuworld.com

In this episode of the Ask a NICU Mama Podcast, host Ashley O’Neil is joined by Dr. Kim, a pediatric physical therapist with 25 years of experience. We discuss the importance of early intervention, parent advocating for their children, and navigating the transition from the NICU to home to receiving school-aged support services. Dr. Kim also shares insights from her new book, Move, Play, Grow, and the important role movement and play have in child development. This conversation is filled with practical advice and encouragement for parents and caregivers navigating complex medical and developmental journeys.

Interested in connecting with Dr. Kim?

Instagram: ⁠babiesfirstpt
Website: Move, Play & Grow – Kim Baugh

The Ask a NICU Mama Podcast is brought to you by It’s a NICU World!

🌍 About It’s a NICU World

It’s a NICU World is a community dedicated to supporting families navigating life in and beyond the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. From journals and advocacy to the Ask a NICU Mama Podcast, we’re here to bring real stories, hard truths, and hope to every NICU and medical family.

📘 Learn more: ⁠www.itsanicuworld.com⁠

📸Follow us on Instagram: ⁠@itsanicuworld⁠and @askanicumamapodcast2024

Check out our books: It’s a NICU World& It’s a NICU World: Your Guide During your Babies NICU Stay

🎙️Listen to moreepisodes: On your favorite podcast platform

📣 Support the Show:

• Share this episode with another NICU parent or healthcare provider
• Follow the show on Instagram: ⁠@askanicumamapodcast2024⁠
• Leave a review

Interested in sponsoring an episode? Email ashleyoneil@itsanicuworld.com

In this Season 4 premiere of the Ask a NICU Mama Podcast, host Ashley O’Neil is joined by Jenn Oseroff, MS, OTR/L, a NICU occupational therapist with nearly 30 years of experience caring for some of the hospital’s tiniest patients. Jenn shares valuable insight into the critical role occupational therapists play in the NICU, how they support infant development and feeding, and the ways they help families navigate complex medical journeys. Together, Ashley and Jenn discuss early intervention, developmental care, and the importance of empowering parents during and beyond a NICU stay. This conversation is filled with compassion, education, and hope for NICU and medical families alike.

The Ask a NICU Mama Podcast is brought to you by It’s a NICU World!

🌍 About It’s a NICU World

It’s a NICU World is a community dedicated tosupporting families navigating life in and beyond the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. From journals and advocacy to the Ask a NICU Mama Podcast, we’re here to bring real stories, hard truths, and hope to every NICU andmedical family.

📘 Learn more: ⁠www.itsanicuworld.com⁠📸Follow us on Instagram: ⁠@itsanicuworld⁠ and @askanicumamapodcast2024

Check out our books: It’s a NICU World& It’s a NICU World: Your Guide During your Babies NICU Stay

🎙️Listen to more episodes: On your favorite podcast platform

📣 Support the Show:

• Share this episode with another NICU parent or healthcare provider
• Follow the show on Instagram: ⁠@askanicumamapodcast2024⁠
• Leave a review

Interested in sponsoring an episode? Email ashleyoneil@itsanicuworld.com

In the Season 3 finale of the Ask a NICU Mama podcast, host Ashley O’Neil offers a heartfelt reflection on the grief, growth,and transformation that shape the lives of NICU families. She speaks candidly about the lasting impact of loss, the complexities of life after the NICU, and the often unseen support parents need long after discharge.

Ashley shares how family and friends can best support thosenavigating grief, whether from child loss or the trauma of a NICU stay, emphasizing the importance of understanding, compassion, and grace. She encourages loved ones to recognize that NICU parents are forever changed by their experiences, and that their healing deserves patience and tenderness.

This episode gently explores what it means to honor ourbabies’ memories, care for our own hearts, and seek peace during seasons that can feel especially heavy—especially the holidays.

Ashley also expresses deep gratitude for the incrediblecommunity that has grown around this podcast and looks forward with hope to the meaningful conversations still to come.

The Ask a NICU Mama Podcast is brought to you by It’s aNICU World!

🌍 About It’s a NICU World

It’s a NICU World is a community dedicated tosupporting families navigating life in and beyond the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. From journals and advocacy to the Ask a NICU Mama Podcast, we’re here to bring real stories, hard truths, and hope to every NICU and medical family.

📘 Learn more: ⁠www.nicuworld.com⁠📸Follow us on Instagram: ⁠@itsanicuworld⁠

Check out our books: It’s a NICU World& It’s a NICU World: Your Guide During your Babies NICU Stay

🎙️Listen to more episodes: On your favorite podcast platform

📣 Support the Show:

• Share this episode with another NICU parent or healthcare provider
• Follow the show on Instagram: ⁠@askanicumamapodcast2024⁠
• Leave a review

Interested in sponsoring an episode? Email ashleyoneil@itsanicuworld.com